All in a day’s work for the ‘Dr Doolittle’ of dentistry

on 19 March 2008

A London dentist administered root canal treatment on an operating table made from bales of hay.

Bizarre perhaps, except for the fact that ‘in the dentist’s chair’ was Siberian tiger Tazmin, the makeshift surgery was at Dartmoor Zoo, and administering treatment was Peter Kertesz, the only dental surgeon in the UK to have been awarded an Honorary Associateship in the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Peter runs a practice in London’s West End but is also a member of the clinical team at London’s Portman Veterinary Clinic.

As well as working in the practice in Brook Street, London, Peter Kertesz is dental consultant to London Zoo and numerous major wildlife establishments around the world.

While visiting the zoo in Devon, Peter also dealt with a Siberian tiger called Blotch and a 264kg (580lb) European brown bear called Ben.

His practice website – www.kertesz.co.uk – reads: ‘The tigers and elephants from these establishments do not visit our Brook Street practice! But these unique patients give us a fascinating and truly humbling perspective.’

He’s been quoted as saying: ‘Many people ask whether one prefers treating humans or four- legged animals and there’s no simple answer.

‘Treating human beings is much easier, everything is very predictable.

‘The sizes are the same, but of course working on these exotic animals is very hard work physically. But it can be very stimulating as well.’